"No, it's more than you imagine... it's beco much more complicated... and much better."
The Professor's voice held unspoken emotion.
"In any case, co back first. I have an important announcent for everyone."
Though full of doubts, the three still chose to unconditionally obey Professor's orders.
"Understood, Professor."
Scott replied, turning the jet around and heading at full speed back to the school.
…
Soon after—
On the lawn of Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters, all the students were assembled.
Cyclops, Storm, Katherine Pryde, Colossus... almost all the X-n mbers were present.
Jean Grey sat alone, a little lonely, on a swing in the distance.
Everyone saw Professor Xavier and Beast at the front—
And standing beside them were two strangers: a handso man and a terrifyingly huge green giant.
Everyone's faces were filled with curiosity and confusion.
Especially Wolverine, Storm, and Cyclops, who had just returned and felt a faint sense of foreboding.
Who were these two?
Why were they standing with the Professor?
Under everyone's gaze, Professor Xavier rolled his wheelchair forward a bit.
He took a deep breath and, in an unprecedentedly solemn tone, announced to all the students:
"Dear students, today I have an announcent that concerns us all—the future of the entire mutant race... a montous decision."
"From this mont on, I, Charles Xavier, and Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters will officially... beco the subordinates of Sir Lucci!"
"We will follow Sir Lucci, fight for him! In exchange for the mutant race, we will obtain a new and hopeful future!"
The mont these words left his lips, the entire lawn fell into an instant, deathly silence.
Then—
Bang—
The crowd erupted into chaos!
"What?"
"What is the Professor saying?"
"Becoming soone else's subordinate? Fight for him? How can that be?!"
All the students stared in disbelief at their principal, leader, their 'father'!
Especially the core mbers—Wolverine, Cyclops, and Storm—felt as if struck by lightning!
They simply couldn't believe it!
"Professor!"
The impulsive Wolverine was the first to stand up, glaring at Lucci beside Xavier and growling threateningly,
"What's going on? Why would you make such a decision? Are you... being controlled by these two?!"
The mont these words ca out, all the X-n's faces changed!
They imdiately responded—
Yes!
As Professor, he would never lead the whole school to submit to others! The only explanation was...
He was being controlled!
That mysterious man must have so thod of mind control!
As soon as they realized this, the entire atmosphere instantly shifted from confusion to tense standoff!
Snikt—
Wolverine's battle-hardened hands popped out three indestructible adamantium claws, gleaming coldly in the sunlight, pointing directly at Lucci!
"Let the Professor go!"
Cyclops, Scott Sumrs, also took a battle stance, his hand unconsciously moving to the switch on his red quartz visor, ready to unleash a mountain-piercing optic blast!
Crackle—
Storm, Ororo Munroe, had faint lightning flickering in her eyes. She began to float, the air swirling violently around her as dark clouds gathered overhead, thunder rumbling within!
Colossus, Katherine Pryde, and the other X-n activated their powers, all with grim faces, forming a circle around Lucci and Hulk.
In their eyes, the only logical explanation was that Professor Xavier was being mind-controlled!
Facing this group of powerful mutants ready to attack at any mont, Xavier gave a bitter smile.
He knew how much his decision affected these children who had followed him.
He wanted to explain everything—the godlike power of Lucci, the mutants' desperate future...
But Lucci gently stopped him.
"Charles, wait a mont."
Lucci's face still wore a faint smile, as if these mutants—powerful enough to destroy armies—were just a group of noisy children in his eyes.
He glanced at the wary X-n and smiled,
"For soldiers used to speaking with power, no amount of words will ever convince them. Unless I show them power enough to make them feel true desperation, these wild mutants will never surrender easily."
Xavier was dazed for a mont, then imdiately understood.
Yes... wasn't that exactly how it was for him?
If he hadn't witnessed Lucci casually modifying Cerebro, hadn't personally experienced the suffocating power of ti, hadn't seen the future extinction...
How could he have surrendered so easily?
The children were the sa. They needed a reason to be convinced—first and foremost, 'power' as the reason.
With that in mind, Xavier fell silent and quietly moved his wheelchair aside.
Lucci's gaze swept over Wolverine's sharp claws, Cyclops' visor, and the lightning swirling around Storm. He turned and gave an order to the green giant beside him.
Hulk, who had stood quietly like a big child, imdiately perked up.
"Hulk."
"Here, Teacher!"
Hulk responded at once, stepping forward.
"Show them a little color."
"But... don't hit too hard. After all, these are... future partners."
"Okay, Teacher!"
Hulk grinned, genuinely excited.
He'd been itching for action ever since his enlightennt and power surge under his Teacher's guidance!
He strode toward Wolverine and the others, roaring,
"Your opponent is . Co at together!"
The X-n responded with utter contempt.
"Bastard!"
Wolverine's eyes blazed. He'd fought countless wars in his centuries of life, but never t soone so arrogant!
But before he could charge forward, soone else had already taken the lead—
Storm!
Of all the X-n, she cared most deeply for Professor Xavier, seeing him as a father and ntor.
Her worry and anxiety overwheld all else—she had to subdue these two strangers and ensure the Professor's safety!
"For the Professor!"
She shouted, white eyes flashing with lightning!
The clouds above turned black as ink, winds whipped into a terrifying tornado, hurling debris skyward as it swept straight at Hulk—a storm laced with ice shards, thunder, and lightning!
But in the face of this city-leveling storm, Hulk didn't even try to dodge.
He simply punched into the tornado!
No tricks, no energy manipulation—just pure, brute strength!
Boom—
A deafening bang shook the air!
Hulk's fist collided with the storm's front!
An unbelievable scene unfolded—
The monstrous tornado, enough to overturn tanks, popped like a balloon at Hulk's punch!
The howling wind was crushed by an even greater force and instantly shredded!
The ice and lightning, so deadly to mortals, were as fragile as soap bubbles before absolute power, vanishing in an instant!
One punch!
The storm was gone!
"What...?"
Storm, still hovering, stared in disbelief. Her storm... had exploded against a punch?
Before she could recover,
Hulk's massive green form vanished from the ground, appearing in the air as if teleporting—a terrifying, oppressive presence suddenly lood before her!
"So... so fast!"
Storm only had ti for that thought before a massive green hand effortlessly grabbed her ankle.
"Ah—!"
Storm cried out, like a chick caught by a giant spirit.
Thunder, lightning, and wind couldn't so much as tickle the green giant's body!
Hulk swung her around, then casually flung her far across the lawn—
Thud!
Storm's body slamd into the grass, leaving a human-shaped crater.
"Ororo!"
"Damn!"
Cyclops and Wolverine howled together!
Cyclops was quickest to respond, firing his optic blast without hesitation!
Buzz—
A ruby-red laser burst from his eyes at near-light speed, searing with destructive heat, aiming straight at Hulk!
But Hulk didn't even look back.
Just before the beam hit, he vanished again!
Cyclops' blast missed, scorching a swath of forest in the distance!
"Careful, Scott!"
Professor Xavier's telepathy anxiously warned.
He'd never expected Hulk to be this powerful!
Scott wanted to dodge, but it was too late.
A huge, whistling shadow enveloped him—Hulk had already appeared at his side.
Slap—
A sharp, loud smack!
Hulk didn't even use a fist—just slapped Scott's face like a fly!
Scott's entire body flew through the air, spinning several tis before slamming heavily into the ground over a hundred ters away.
His special red quartz visor was knocked off, tumbling onto the lawn.
"Scott!"
Wolverine's eyes nearly burst with fury!
Storm and Cyclops—two of the X-n's core fighters—had been defeated in seconds by this giant green man?!
Roar—
Wolverine went berserk, unleashing a beastly roar as he charged Hulk with all his might, six adamantium claws flashing death!
But in the face of this attack, Hulk still didn't dodge.
He rely reached out, and with lightning speed, caught Wolverine's wrist.
Suddenly, Wolverine couldn't move an inch!
"How... how is this possible?"
Wolverine's pupils widened to their limits in utter shock!
It felt as if his wrist was being gripped not by flesh and blood, but by two immovable ancient mountains!
Hulk looked down at the struggling Wolverine and grinned.
Then, his arm began to exert pressure!
An unstoppable, mountain-crushing force flowed from Hulk's arm into Wolverine's body!
"Guh... AAAGGHH!"
Wolverine howled in pain, feeling his arm bones being crushed under the imnse power!
His legs buckled helplessly, his body pressed inch by inch to the ground!
Finally—thud!
The famously unyielding Wolverine was forced to his knees before Hulk's absolute power!
The entire lawn fell silent.
Everyone stared at the green giant, who subdued Wolverine like a devil-god, with awe and terror.
This green giant... was too terrifying!
As Wolverine was forced to kneel, an unexpected change occurred.
Buzz—
A thick, wild pillar of red light blasted from afar, aiming for Hulk's back!
Wherever the beam passed, the air ignited and warped, the grass below carved into a deep, scorched trench!
It was Cyclops.
After being slapped, he'd lost his special visor, and the stored energy from another dinsion was now gushing uncontrollably from his eyes—unleashing his full power!
He couldn't see clearly—but could sense the threatening green aura right ahead!
So, heedless of anything else, he fired the uncontrollable energy that way!
"Scott! Stop!"
"Not good!"
Professor Xavier and Hank shouted at once!
...
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